


A Krimas Carol

by Limbo_Lord



Category: Dream SMP - Fandom
Genre: Ghosts, Happy Ending, Inspired by A Christmas Carol, Realization, Snow, Suicidal Thoughts, Winter, greed - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 01:35:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28663305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Limbo_Lord/pseuds/Limbo_Lord
Summary: It's Christmas Eve, and the melancholy Dream finds himself alone at home when he sees before him the ghost of Jschlatt, a president who died ages ago. Schlatt warns Dream that he will repent, even in death, for all the suffering he has caused others, and he has only one chance to escape his fate.(I finished writing this on Christmas but didn't finish editing until later on. It may be a little late but I believe this is a good read anytime of the year.)
Relationships: Clay | Dream & GeorgeNotFound & Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Ghostbur | Wilbur Soot & Floris | Fundy, Technoblade & Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit
Comments: 3
Kudos: 23





	1. ACT I

**Author's Note:**

> A Christmas Carol has always been my favorite story of the holidays. So, I decided it would be a nice present to have its story in the world of the SMP. I hope this read is worth your time.

Jschlatt and Wilbur Soot were dead. They were but memories remaining in the heads of some members of the Dream SMP and characters of history to others. They were never to speak another word among the living. After the day they both died, a celebration was supposed to follow. Cheers, Laughter, Freedom, and much more. All of which came but for a short time, the joy only lasted so long. Not long after, hard times crawled across the land as the consequences of the battle and conflict took their toll. Cracked morale was on the verge of shattering and thin threads of nations did their best not to split. 

While the people wiped their tears and stitched their nations back together one looked down on it all. A man untouched by loss and destruction, a god some said. His name was Dream. While some mourned the loss of their best armor and items, his shining netherite mocked and cackled at them. While others did their best to defend themselves with what little weapons they had left, his sharp sword taunted them. While some wore frowns upon their faces remembering the war behind them, his mask broadcasted it’s cold still grin.

Times were rough but the people were able to regain what they had lost in both heart, mind, and protection. Winter was upon the lands and with the cold winter came Christmas. The holiday was exactly what was needed to lift the spirits of the SMP. Laughter and joy slowly began to ring through the streets once more. At least, when Dream wasn’t around. When the masked man made his rounds around the SMP only whispers trailed behind him.

“The smile on the mask is the only illusion of joy he has.”

“He’s so cruel that he shot a child.”

“Not even Christmas can crack that wall of misery.”

No one would speak to him when he made his rounds unless he spoke to them first. Most would turn their heads while others would steal a few glances. But, all would move out of the way when they heard the crunch of footsteps followed by the drawn-out shush of a sharp netherite blade dragging through the snow. A trail that would warn during the day but get covered by the snow during the night. 

The footsteps had made their way to the small country of L’manburg. A nation haunted by history. Dream walked into the border of L’manburg and eased his way over to the quivering building of the country’s cabinet. With a cracked fist he wrapped on the wooden door sending out a small echo. 

The door creaked open and from the other side appeared Tubbo, the all too young president. Tubbo’s eyes widened as they saw the isolated smile of Dream’s mask. 

“Hello Dream,” The boy said and opened the door all the way.

Dream nodded and stepped into the office. As he stepped into the room a warm light swallowed him. A small thud sounded as Tubbo closed the door behind him, shutting the cold and the snow out. 

“Good evening everyone,” Dream spoke to the other three members. The tall lanky half enderman of a treasurer Ranboo. The relaxed fox eared secretary of state, Fundy. The stiff ebony-haired vice president, Quackity. They all just responded with nods and looks in their eyes.

“Would you like a seat?” Tubbo asked Dream as he sat down at the head of the table beside Quackity and Fundy. The seat was powerful as long as the one in charge of it was able to command that power. The first ruler lost it too soon and the previous abused it. Tubbo barely filled the chair. The sides of it weren’t filled and the head was tall behind him. Dream stood over the table and all of the cabinet. He looked down on them with superiority. A grimace couldn’t be seen on his face, but it didn’t need to.

“No,” Dream said, “I’m not going to be here for very long.”

“Okay,” Tubbo smiled and folded his hands onto the table. His and Fundy’s were the only ones whose hands were visible. “How can I help you?” 

“I’m just checking in to see how my favorite country is doing.” Dream tilted his chin up and Quackity tilted his down.

“Oh,” Tubbo raised his eyebrows. “We’re doing okay.”

“Funding.” All eyes in the room darted to the treasurer. “We need funding.” Tubbo’s eyes widened at Ranboo but the half enderman simply looked at Dream with sunken ones.

“Funding?” Dream scoffed. “What do you need funding for?”

“The country, it’s lost a lot of gear and still hasn’t gained it back. Also,” Ranboo lowered his head, “gifts for the citizens.”

“What?” Dream laughed. “Gifts? You want funding for gifts?”

“It’s been a rough year for our country, Dream.” Tubbo’s hands squeezed tight together, his knuckles turning white. “It would really help bring everyone together and solidify L’manburg’s true values.”

“Yeah okay, if L’manburg has values,” Dream’s back straightened and he traced the hilt of his sword with his fingertips. “then they should have realized them back before they lost everything.”

“You take that back!” Quackity slammed his hand on the table and jumped up. Terror and fear sweat from the cabinet as they looked up at him, especially Tubbo. “You can’t just come into our country and insult us like that! We are-” 

A blur of enchanted netherite flashed before the vice president’s eyes. The cabinet gasped as a loud clang crashed throughout the small room, piercing everyone’s ears. Quackity jumped back as Dream’s sword stabbed into the wood of the table.

“I can do whatever I damn please,” Dream hissed at the cabinet through his teeth. “And none of you have any sort of power to question me! You’re not getting any funding for your ridiculous gifts. If you’re going to waste money at least waist it on something that will last.” The cabinet did not respond. Only heavy breaths of fear and relief left their parted lips. Dream snatched the sword away from the table leaving splintered wood behind. The masked man, dripping with fury, opened the door and let the cold winter wind slam him in the face; sending an unpleasant breeze into the office behind him. 

“Merry Christmas Dream.”

Dream glanced back at the president giving him a tight-lipped smile. 

“Whatever,” He mumbled and slammed the door behind him, leaving the small cabinet and country behind. 

The trail found its way out into the snow again and traveled out into the far woods, away from all of the other activity. Away from the pitiful country and it’s pathetic cabinet. No whispers were behind the trail. For there were no mouths to whisper. Just trees and snow for miles. It led up to a small cottage in the middle of the white desert. The footsteps crunched up to the small building and tapped on the door. When the door opened a pink-haired man stood on the other side.

“Hello Technoblade,” Dream nodded. “May I?” Techno opened the door and Dream walked in. He looked around the small cottage, the chests at the side, the empty potion stands, the trap doors with no purpose. The cottage was silent except for the even breaths of the two men. “Is it just you hear?”

“Yes,” Techno said. “Phil, Tommy, and Ghostbur are out getting things together for Christmas.”

“So, Tommy is planning to stay here for Christmas?”

“I’ve been meaning to talk with you about that, Dream.” The masked man turned toward the half piglin. Techno stared at him with his dark eyes. “Tommy hasn’t seen Tubbo in a long time and he really misses him. Could you let the kid back at L’manburg so he could see his home, just for tomorrow?”

“No.”

“Please,” Techno sighed. “It’s Christmas.”

“I don’t care,” Dream snapped. “If I see Tommy Innit at all in L’manburg or the SMP tomorrow, he’s dead on the spot.” The two just stared at each other with tension thicker than obsidian walls. Techno maintained his stance and gave a small nod. Dream returned the nod and stepped out of the small cottage. Techno shut the door behind him.

Dream traveled away from the cottage but not towards the SMP, not towards any other people. The snow rained down, white powdering onto the green of his hood. The layers of snow grew higher and higher causing each step to become more fragile. He lifted his sword so that it would no longer trace the snow. 

After walking for a million moments the masked man finally came upon a humble establishment; A mismatched one-story house stapled together with different materials. Dream pushed the gate to open it but the frost painted hinges denied the attempt. He tried again, this time slamming his side into the small wooden gate, opening it with a crash. Mumbles of insult whispered under his breath as he stepped toward his front door. 

The exhaustion and frustration of the day weighed on his shoulders. He reached out his quivering hand from his pocket to open his door when the faint smell of alcohol tinted his nose. It was a smell tied to miserable memories that Dream preferred to keep in the past. He glanced over his shoulder to see if there was a source for the smell but was only met with the desert of white surrounding him. As quickly as the smell caught Dream’s attention it was gone. Leaving behind only questions and memories. 

Dream shrugged to himself, letting the odd smell become a memory for him to forget, and walked into his dinky house. It wasn’t warm, wasn’t welcoming, wasn’t caring, it was bitter. The majority of the light in the room was from the open door; Dream’s silhouette was painted in the middle of it. The small flame of a torch kept the room visible as Dream closed the door behind him. 

His house was far away from the rest of civilization for a reason, it couldn’t be seen or touched. Nobody else knew that he lived there and that was the way he preferred it. As he took off his armor he recalled the events of the day with disgust. He just didn’t understand why people thought they should put the rules he made on hold just because it was Christmas. It didn’t make any sense to him. 

After taking his armor off and hanging his sword up Dream sat by the small fire of his furnace. He would spend most of his nights by the warmth, free of his mask. It was the only time the green-eyed man would truly allow himself to relax. But, this night was going to be much more different than any other for the Dream SMP’s god.

As the hours tolled by and night grew longer, Dream’s eyelids danced with slumber and just as their performance was about to come to an end they were opened by the strong smell of alcohol. Dream rubbed his blurry eyes and looked around the room. He saw no movement beside the small dance of light from his furnace . But, the smell remained and grew stronger. It filled the room and followed Dream as he searched around the quiet house to see what was the cause of. 

A muffled sound of glass shattering crashed outside.

Dream’s senses were back intact as he slipped his mask on and grabbed his sword. His feet carried him outside into the cold but, instead of seeing a mob or the culprit, he was met again with the same image of swirling white. On edge, he went back inside and stalked his hallway and rooms. Silence pierced his ears and alcohol filled his nostrils. His rooms were empty and the only movement in the house, besides himself, was the dance of the furnace’s fire. 

After stalking his own house for what felt like too long, Dream’s patience quit and he went back to his furnace. The smell remained and sent shivers down his spine but there was not another crash. He walked over to the furnace in the fire lit room and drew his sword at the entity standing in the doorway behind him.

“Hey!” It shouted when it’s nose was met with the tip of the netherite blade. Fear ran a cold finger down Dream’s spine as he got a better look at who it was. He denied the smell but there was no way he could deny those twisted horns.

“Schlatt?” The words left Dream’s lips before he could even realize it. 

“Not exactly,” the goatman said with a puff of his cigar. “You can call me Ghlatt.” The smoke floated in the air before dissolving like dust. The site sickened Dream, he thought it had left and was never coming back. It was Jschlatt, same horns, same suit, same shadow over his eyes, but Dream could see through him. The lucid outline of the goatman was there but Dream could see the cracks on the wall behind him. He was dripping with chains that matched his transparent appearance. They hung from his shoulders and hugged his ankles. The chains dangled past his feet, which were not touching the ground, and through the floorboards. 

“Ghlatt,” Dream muttered and gripped the sword in his hand. “You should be dead.”

“Yeah,” Ghlatt puffed, “and so should Wilbur but you don’t seem to care about him walking around.” Dream didn’t know if it was fear or anger that thrusted the sword forward but he didn’t stop it. There was no shout of agony, no splatter of blood, the blade just splintered into the wall behind the ghost. Dream’s hand felt cold as he stared at it in the apparition’s chest.

“I’m flattered,” Ghlatt mumbled. “But you probably got a scratch on that pretty polished sword of yours.”

“Okay,” Dream pulled his sword from the wall and placed it at his side. “Ghlatt, what the hell are you doing here and how come you aren’t anything like Ghostbur.” A small snicker breathed out from Ghlatt’s lips and his mouth curled into his signature shit-eating grin.

“Funny you should say that Green boy because I’m here to warn you.”

“Warn me?”

“Yeah,” Ghlatt jangled the chains around his body and they sent out a distressing song of ringing metal. “Life was bullshit and now I’ve got these fucking chains on me for the rest of eternity.”

“So why do you have the chains?”

“Greed, you fuck,” Ghlatt snapped. “I was too greedy when it came to power in my life and this is my punishment.” A small wheeze of laughter escaped from Dream’s lips and Ghlatt scowled at him. “Laugh all you want, you’ve got these chains too.”

“What?” Dream stopped.

“You heard me,” Ghlatt growled and puffed from his cigar. “You’ve got these chains too, they just aren’t visible because you’re breathing.” Dream couldn’t believe what he was hearing. The room began to spin and sway around him.

“You came to warn me that I have invisible chains?”

“No, I came to warn you that I’m not the only visitor you’re gonna have tonight.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re going to be visited by three other spirits tonight and they’re gonna try to help you get rid of those chains.”

“Who?”

“Your ghost of christmas past, present, and future. They’ve been meaning to have-”

The chains around Ghlatt straightened and began to pull him down into the floorboards. 

“Shit,” he breathed and attempted to fight the chains. Dream just stared at the struggling sole with parted lips. “As soon as your clock chimes one the first ghost is going to come.”

Before Dream was able to say anything or reach out Ghlatt had disappeared, dragged down under the floorboards by the chains. Dream stared down at the empty wooden floorboards. He didn’t know what to think of what he just saw. Ghostbur was a surprise at first, but Ghlatt? He was a jumpscare.  
Dream decided it was best to put the occurrence of the night behind him and go to sleep….with his mask on.


	2. ACT II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dream is visited by the first ghost and they seem a little too familiar.

The clock chiming one didn’t wake Dream up. So, he didn’t see the familiar face enter the room. He didn’t see their small smile as they floated over to his unconscious body. He didn’t hear them as they whispered his name in an attempt to awake him from his deep and miserable slumber.

“dream…”

“dream.”

“Dream.”

“Dream!”

“Dream wake up!”

Dream shot up in his bed to the voice ringing in his ear. He slammed a hand on his face to check if his mask was still there. Relief painted his fingers as he felt the smooth surface of the smiling porcelain. Disoriented, Dream’s eyes darted around the room and stopped when he saw who had woken him up.

“Finally, you muffin head.”

“Bad?” Dream stared at the apparition before him. It looked like Badboyhalo but he was transparent in the same way Ghlatt was. Dream glanced down and saw that Bad’s feet were also floating above the floorboards. But, unlike Ghlatt, no chains hugged his body or rattled out a distressing song; no burning smell of alcohol floated around him. He was a simple glowing spirit. Realization shivered down his spine as he looked at the ghost. 

“You’re dead?” Dream muttered

“What?” Bad straightened up. “No silly! I’m your ghost of Christmas past!”

“But,” Dream muttered, “you’re Bad.”

“Not exactly,” the spirit tilted his head and lifted a finger. “Yes, I am Bad but I’m not THE BadBoyHalo. Is Bad dead?”

“Not that I know of.”

“Exactly! Now, come on.”

“What?”

“Come on!” 

“Where are we going?”

“I’m going to show you the past!”

“Why?”

“What do you mean, why? So you can get the true meaning of Christmas through that cold skull of yours!”

Dream sat up in his bed as the friendly ghost reached out his arm. The masked man stared at it as questions weighed in his mind. He trusted Bad and even if it wasn’t the “real” Badboyhalo Dream couldn’t help but fall to the familiar face. His smile was one of the few things that Dream called home. As soon as Dream’s hand touched the apparition's, the room began to spin and swirl.

When everything stopped, he was standing in a forest that lived in the back of his mind. A forest that he never thought he’d see again. A forest that was a memory. He recognized the lake in the middle of it, the formation of oak trees, the light snow powdering the ground, and the unfinished house in the middle of it all. Dream turned his head, Bad was standing next to him and smiling. Bad looked back out at the scene and Dream did the same.

“This…” Dream started but was cut off by a shriek ringing out behind him. He whipped around to see two familiar faces arguing.

“SAPNAP!” George yelled to Sapnap who was doubled over in laughter.

“WhAt?” Sapnap wheezed. “I wanted the apple and you had it!” The boy laughed, the iron sword in his hand shining.

“I Am On Half A Heart!” George shouted back. A smile spread on Dream’s face. George and Sapnap were always able to do that. He opened his lips to say something when an arrow whizzed through his chest. Dream winced as a reaction but his face twisted into a confused one when he felt no pain from the arrow. The shouts of George yelling at Sapnap to kill the skeleton went through one of Dream’s ears and out the other as he turned his head toward Bad. Another arrow passed through him, this time through his shoulder.

“Is this?” Dream started.

“This is only a memory,” Bad said. “We’re only here to watch so you can’t interact with it.”

A loud clang followed by the rattling of bones rang out and both George and Sapnap’s heads shot up. Dream turned around and was met with the sight of himself standing over the pile of bones that was once a skeleton. 

“Do you know where we are?” Bad asked him.

“Of course,” Dream said. “This is the SMP back when it first started. You were barely even on it.” 

The two watch the scene of George and Sapnap complaining to an exhausted Dream about each other.

“You three were very close.”

“Yes,” Dream smiles at the three memories. “We were.”

“Back then you were always the hero for those two.”

“It was a small Christmas but we had each other. I would have done anything for them.”

“You were the Dreamteam for a reason.”

Dream stared at the scene before him. Time had taken the lovely memory from him right under his nose and he hadn’t even realized it. The three of them all looked so young and happy; Faces untouched by war and the violence of life. It was a scene that Dream wanted to stare at for the rest of eternity, he hadn’t realized how much he missed it. 

“Even through war the three of you stood strong together with Punz,” Bad said and the forest around them began to spin. The green of the trees and the blue of the sky swirled to the black and yellow of the walls of the first L’manburg. Dream and Bad were standing on the walls; looking down on L’manburg like fish in a bowl. 

“We would rather die,” Dream turned his head down to the archway of an entrance. Wilbur. “Then give into you and your SMP.”

Wilbur was standing with the other original members of L’manburg in their tattered blue uniforms. George, Sapnap, and Dream of the past were standing just outside the entrance in full armor. They were standing on the same level as the L’manburgians but their power looked down on the revolutionaries. A single piece of TNT sat between the two parties, the flint and steel in Dream’s hand threatening it and the ground beneath. 

This was a memory that time hadn’t stolen from Dream. He could remember it clear as day and it caused a small smile to spread across his face. He watched as Wilbur finished his arrogant speech and his younger self reached out an arm to push George and Sapnap away from the explosive. As the TNT hissed and the ground blew up from under the soldiers’ feet, Dream smiled. He smiled the same way he was in the memory. George and Sapnap were at his past self’s side doing the same. The three of them watched as their hard work and planning had paid off. It was a glorious day for the three of them. That was when they truly won the war. L’manburg may have “won independence” but they had done the damage they wanted.

“You pushed them back before you lit the TNT,” Bad said to Dream.

“TNT can be unpredictable,” Dream said. “I didn’t want them to get hurt.”

“Awwww,” Dream glared at Bad who was making goo-goo eyes at him. “That’s really sweet, Dream.”

“Whatever,” Dream scoffed. “I didn’t want them to get hurt because then I’d have to hear George scream and Sapnap complain.”

“Sure,” Bad smiled but the small glimmer of light in his eyes faded away in a snap. “But, over time your hunger for power overtook your loyalty to your friends.” The scene began to swirl and dance around Dream yet again; This time they were in a different location overall. Dream bit the inside of his lip as he stared at himself standing next to Tommy and Techno, against Sapnap and his men. Dream bit the inside of his lip as he stared at himself next to the boy and warrior. Against his best friend. 

“Tommy was an ally,” Dream defended, already knowing what the ghost was trying to do.

“Sapnap was a friend,” Bad countered.

“I couldn’t just let him go around killing pets.”

“You didn’t seem to have the same reaction when he went around killing Fundy’s pets.”

“I know what you're doing and it’s not working.”

“We’ll see.”

As swords clashed and blood was drawn Dream stood in silence as he watched him and Sapnap fight. The cold smile of his mask frozen in place. The pleading look in Sapnap’s eyes as he fought his friend. The small hope in Sapnap’s eyes to bring the Dream from so many moons ago back. But, Dream knew that the ebony-haired fighter’s attempt at keeping the flame of their friendship alive had no effect. Dream knew Sapnap would feel more pain knowing the truth of that mask than from a stab of his past self’s sword. Dream knew that, in that moment, his mask was not a shield hiding a pained expression of conflict; it was a mirror reflecting the cold betrayal in his green eyes.

Dream turned his head as the two’s duel neared its finale. Dream remember how it ended. There was a lot of tension between them after that. As the dance of swords slowly carried on the battle began to swirl, Dream was thankful. 

When everything stopped moving they were outside of Tommy’s old home but the boy was not there. Instead, Dream’s past self was speaking to George and Sapnap. Dream didn’t really understand what it was that the ghost was showing him at first. It was a scene the three performed multiple times. It wasn’t until Eret walked into the conversation that his gut sank.

“You didn’t,” Dream hissed, anger lining his words.

“You took away a lot from them,” Bad said. “George was really happy with that crown and you took it away from him with no remorse.”

“I did it to protect him,” Dream snapped.

“You weren’t happy about the king’s interaction with El Rapids.”

“They were being difficult.”

“El Rapids would have had a lot of power with the king on their side.”

“Just say you hate me,” Dream’s head snapped back to the scene as he heard George utter those forbidden words. The words that, in that moment, had echoed through his head and surrounded him. The words that sent a sharp sting through his body.The words that kept Dream up for many nights after that. Dream watched as Sapnap stood in front of the shattered George and shouted at his past self. He watched as George told Sapnap to calm down and the texan did. He watched the last time that he was with his best friends. 

“Take me back,” Dream’s hands were shaking. He turned away from the memory and looked directly into the Ghost’s eyes. “Take me back.”

“Don’t you understand why you need to see this?” Bad implored.

“FUCK!” Dream roared at the spirit. Anger, frustration, and fear coated his throat.

“Hey!” Bad shouted back, his arms straightening at his sides. “Language!”

“Take me back!”

“No!”

“FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!”

“Okay! Fine you muffin head!”

With a swoop of Bad’s hand the memory disappeared and Dream’s vision went black.


	3. ACT III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wait...he's in on this?
> 
> (Heads up, this chapter contains suicidal thoughts and mention of attempted suicide)

“Dream, wake up,” the soft voice whispered into Dream’s ear. “Dream we’re going to be late.” The sleeping man’s world slowly came back to reality as his eyes fluttered open to the lucid pools of white inches away from his masked face.

“AH!” Dream shot back in his bed, the back of his head slamming the hard wood. A loud thud rang through his ears and pain pounded on his head. After grabbing the back of his head to stabilize himself he looked up at the apparition floating over him. 

“Ghostbur?” He breathed still focusing on the pain in his head. “You’re a Christmas ghost?”

“Not exactly,” Ghostbur blinked. “But, I am here to show you Christmas present.”

“So,” Dream grunted as he sat up in his bed, “Are you actually Ghostbur or just another spirit who looks like Ghostbur?” Ghostbur’s lips parted and his eyebrows raised.

“Are you okay? Here, have some blue.” Lucid blue appeared in Ghostbur’s palm and he opened it up to Dream. The masked man stared down at the soft, fuzzy, twinkling, blob in the spirit's hand. 

“Yeah,” Dream sighed. “It’s definitely you.” He tried to grab the blue from the ghost’s hand but instead his fingers passed through both the blue and Ghostbur’s palm. A small cold shiver sent through his arm as he contacted the spirit. He didn’t grab the blue but the pounding in Dream’s head came to a halt.

“How did you-” Dream looked at Ghostbur.

“Aw,” Ghostbur sighed. “I guess it doesn’t work this way.”

“So you-”

“Come on Dream we have to go.”

“Go where?”

“We’re going to be late for the parties!”

Dream swung his feet out from under the blankets and stood up. Ghostbur floated next to him and pleaded with his bright white eyes. Dream was perplexed by Ghostbur. He was the third apparition that the masked man had seen tonight yet none of them felt the same at all. 

“You’re Christmas present?” Dream asked the ghost.

“Of course,” Ghostbur nodded. “I don’t think it’s possible for me to be the past.” The glow in his eyes faded for a moment as he looked down. “I don’t remember it.” Dream opened his mouth to say something but Ghostbur immediately shot back up with raised eyebrows.

“Now, come one we need to go!” The room began to spin and dance around Dream once more. Through the transition, Ghostbur twirled around with the surroundings. A simple dance of peace that encouraged Dream to join him and the room but the masked man stood still. 

When the dance came to an end Dream found himself standing in the small cabinet office he had been in earlier that day. But, it was decorated with garland on the walls, cups of eggnog on the table, and bows on the chairs. All of the cabinet was there but they weren’t in their stuffy suits; they were in christmas wear. Tubbo’s sweater had a snowman, Quackity’s beanie was green and red, Fundy had on antlers, and Ranbo a candy cane scarf. Besides the festive clothing, they were all wearing smiles on their faces, genuine smiles.

“Okay gentlemen,” Tubbo stood up in front of the three other L’manburgians. “Let’s play a game!”

“What game?” Ranboo asked the young president. Tubbo put his hand to his chin in thought.

“Build mart?” Quackity snickered prompting a glare of disapproval from Tubbo.

“Uno?” Ranboo suggested but Tubbo shook his head.

“We don’t have an Uno deck,” he said. 

“Twenty questions?” Dream said from behind them.

“What about twenty questions?” Fundy said and Tubbo’s face lit up.

“Yeah!” The boy exclaimed. 

“That’s what I said,” Dream shoved his hands in his pockets.

“Good idea Fundy!” Ghostbur was beaming at Fundy. Dream didn’t understand why the soul cared so much for the fox-eared man; Fundy had betrayed and misspoken about him on multiple occasions. Even now, Dream knew that there was a lot of tension between him and Fundy, at least on Fundy’s part. So, why was he always so happy around him? Dream shrugged it off and watched as Quackity got up in front of the group to go first. 

“Is it an object?” Fundy asked.

“No,” Quackity shook his head.

“Is it an animal?” Ranboo continued.

“Definitely,” Quackity smiled.

“Is it a nice animal?” Tubbo leaned in.

“Nope,” Quackity rolled his eyes. “The opposite.”

“So it’s hostile?” Ranboo lifted his chin, the light shining off of his red and green eyes. 

“Yes.”

“Is it hostile both day and night?”

“Yes.”

“Can it survive under daylight?”

“Si.”

“Wait,” Tubbo said with a smile. “Is it green and explosive?”

“Yes?”

“It’s a creeper!” Tubbo exclaimed. Fundy and Ranboo both nodded in agreement with the teenager.

“Good guess,” Dream nodded along with the others.

“Good job Tubbo!” Wilbur smiled, sharing excitement with Tubbo.

“Nope,” Quackity shook his head.

“What,” the light in Tubbo’s eyes twisted into confusion. So did everyone else’s. “But, it’s hostile both day and night, green, and explosive.”

“He’s messing with them,” Dream said to Ghostbur. “Creeper is the only possible answer.”

“It’s Dream,” Ranboo said.

“Yep!” Quackity grinned and cackled. “It’s Dream! It’s Dream!” 

Fists appeared at Dream’s side. He knew that the stupid duck would pull a joke like that but the fact the Ranboo got it was the surprise to the masked man. That and the snicker that came from Fundy when the words left the half enderman’s lips. They were insulting him right in front of his face. But, it didn’t matter to Dream, what they said didn’t matter. He could beat anyone of them to a pulp, their words did no harm. 

“Okay,” Tubbo put his hands up. “That’s very funny and all but we shouldn’t be talking about Dream like that. He is a friend of the country”

“It is true though,” Fundy muttered.

“How the fuck is he a friend of the country?” Quackity said. “He hasn’t done shit for us!”

“He took down the walls and hasn’t attacked us,” Tubbo explained. 

“Yeah,” Dream chimed in.

“That isn’t friendship!” Quackity continued. “Tubbo, he’s pulling the strings, he has you living in fear.”  
“He isn’t pulling strings,” Tubbo furrowed his eyebrows. “I make my own decisions and there is nothing wrong with befriending someone who could be a very harmful threat to this country.”

“He took away Tommy,” Ranboo said. The room fell silent and the words floated above their heads. You could hear a pin drop. Dream stared at the pathetic cabinet. The four members were looking down as if bowing their heads to the lost member. All of their energy had faded at the mention of the name but Tubbo looked the worst, as if he was fighting to keep back tears.

“I,” Ghostbur said, squeezing blue in his hand. “I think we should go.” The room began to spin again. Dream watched as the four figures turned into blurs of movement and color. Wilbur didn’t dance with the room this time instead he just stood with a patient expression on his face. Until they appeared at their next location.   
When the room stopped spinning Dream was standing next to a window above three empty brewing stands. He didn’t need to see anymore to identify the new location. He knew exactly where he was. Dream took in the humble surroundings of Technoblade’s cottage. The door swung open and a snow covered Philza walked in with the winter breeze. 

“Phil!” Ghostbur exclaimed and floated over to the blond man. 

“I’m home Techno!” He shouted into the open floors, walking through Ghostbur without notice. Pink appeared from the ladder leading below and Techno stepped over to Phil.

“Hallo,” Techno said. “How did it go?”

“They were all having a party in the office so they didn’t even notice I left,” Phil said handing his coat to Techno who hung it up. 

“Where’s Ghostbur?” 

“He said he had something to do but he’ll be here.” 

Ghostbur grinned and looked at Dream with cheeky eyes.

“Why’d you bring me here?” Dream asked the apparition.

“Well,” Ghostbur floated over to the masked man, “do you notice who is missing?”

“You?” Dream shrugged.

“No,” Ghostbur shook his head. “I can’t be missing because I’m right here.” Dream looked around the quiet cabin. The quiet cabin. 

“Tommy.”

“Yes, they’re going to have a christmas party but Tommy isn’t here. Let’s go find him.”  
Yet again, everything began to dance and twirl. The scene of Techno and Phil melting away before Dream’s eyes. The color leaked from the room as it spun, the light fading with it. 

As the motion came to a halt Dream was standing on top of the white winter snow outside. The bright full moon shone down illuminating the winter scene. He looked out into the sea of white and his eyes stopped as he saw a familiar head of blond hair. The masked man turned to Ghostbur and saw the apparition staring at the boy with tightened lips and furrowed brows. 

Dream stepped over to Tommy; No path or whispers behind him, just a silent ghost and a small crater that was previously known as logsteshire. The snow hugged Tommy’s leg as he stared up at the thin empty tower of stone and dirt. A small glint in the light through the teenager’s fingers caught Dream’s eye. Tommy lifted his hand and looked at the metal compass in his palm.

“Your Tubbo,” Ghostbur’s whisper sent a shiver down Dream’s spine.

“Merry Christmas,” Tommy said to the compass. “Sorry I couldn’t spend it with you.” Dream sighed at the quivering teen.

“His health has been deteriorating,” Ghostbur said, floated over to the masked man, not breaking eye contact from Tommy. “Both mentally and physically. He-” Ghostbur choked on his words. He shut his eyes and squeezed two fists full of blue in his hand. The blue grew dark and more pigmented. After whispering something to himself, Ghostbur opened his eyes again. “He did attempt suicide but he recovered from it.”

“I know,” Dream breathed under his lips. 

“But, we aren’t entirely sure if he’s getting better. He plays fine when he’s around everyone but he’s been going off a lot lately. He looks better but I don’t think he is. He fainted the other day after he went off for a long time. Phil carried him to bed.”

A heavy feeling weighed on Dream’s shoulders. A feeling that should have been unfamiliar but embraced him like an old friend. 

“He’ll be fine,” Dream muttered. As Ghostbur’s lips parted to say something he was cut off by the loud crunch of snow. Tommy’s knees dug into the snow. His knuckles were tight red around the small compass in his grip.

“I really miss you Tubbo,” The teenager’s lip quivered. “I don’t know how much longer I can do this.” Tears streamed down Tommy’s cheeks and froze as they hit the snow. He squinted his eyes and bit his lip but it did little to block the rush of tears streaming from his eyes. He choked on sobs and began to slam his fists into the snow. His cries echoed throughout the cold winter night as he continued to angrily smash the snow with his bare cracked knuckles. 

Dream didn’t know how to respond to the scene. The feeling grew heavier and heavier on his shoulders the longer he watched; creating a lump in his throat. He bit the inside of his as he watched the teenager begin to shiver in the snow.

“It had to be done,” Dream said looking down. “He’s a threat.”

“He’s a boy,” Ghostbur said to the masked man. But, Dream did not look at the apparition. A loud warped scream of agony and misery boomed from the teenager. Dream’s head shot up at the cry and a cold feeling ran down his back.

“I think this is where I say goodbye.” Ghostbur whispered. The spirit lost his soft glow and floated over to Tommy. He kneeled next to the crying teenager and put a transparent arm around him.

“Tommy,” Ghostbur said to the boy. Tommy whipped his head around and stared at the ghost with red eyes and a quivering lip. “I think Techno and Phil are waiting for us.” Tommy swiped his sleeve over his eyes and rubbed away the frosted tears on his cheeks. The boy gave a small nod and stood up on shaky legs. Ghostbur extended a hand of blue and he silently took it. The boy and the ghost walked off in the snow back toward the lonely cottage, leaving a small trail of footsteps behind the two of them.

As the trail got longer and the two disappeared into the snow Dream’s vision grew darker and darker and darker.


	4. ACT IV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final ghost visits.

The final ghost didn’t whisper into Dream’s ear or shake his shoulder to awaken him. The final ghost didn’t ring a bell or make a sound. The final ghost simply stood over Dream’s bed and cast a long shadow over the sleeping mask. As consciousness floated back into Dream a cold fear shivered down his spine as the silhouette before him came into vision. He would have said he knew who this apparition was supposed to be, he’d recognize those antlers anywhere, but this ghost was not the same as the previous ones; not even Ghlatt. It had the silhouette of Callahan but was a sea of shadow and darkness with the only light being two illuminated eyes. 

“Are you the ghost of Christmas future?” Dream asked the spirit. The spirit gave him it’s long haunting stare before tilting its head in a slow nod. Dream wasn’t able to say much until the familiar dance of the room spun around him. Fear whispered down Dream’s back as he stole a glance at the silent spirit. As he looked closer he realized that the ghost was not pure darkness. It was the shadow of a dark cloak.

The dark red and brown blurs or motions lightened and everything came to a stop.They were in a small wooden room, smaller than Dream’s room. Light was shining in through the window. Dream peered through the window into the snow covered world, it was day time. The masked man turned back to the room, in it were the familiar faces of both Ponk and Awsamdude. The two men sat stiffly at a table together with potions bottles in front of them. 

“I just find it funny that he’s dead,” Ponk laughed prompting a surprised reaction from Sam.

“Why do you say that?” The creeped man said with a tweaked smile.

“Because he’s gone for good. It’s like Jschlatt. We don’t have to deal with that monster anymore!”

“I suppose that’s true. Who would have thought it would be us to out live him?”

The two men laugh and cheer two bottles together before taking a long sip of each. 

“How far into the future is this?” Dream asked the spirit. Callahan lifted one finger up to the masked man. “One year?” The ghost nodded.

Dream listened to the two men speak of who had died. They spoke down on him with glee almost on the edge of pity. Dream didn’t know what the deceased person had done to them but his death brought the two together in celebration. Confusion tilted Dream’s head at the apparition. Calahann nodded and the room performed it’s rehearsed dance. 

When the dance ended and stillness took over once more Dream was in the cottage he found himself in not too long ago. But, it was unfamiliar. The once vibrant and determined posters on the wall were now ripped and faded. The brewing stands once filled with bubbling potions were now empty and coated with dust. The bell once shining and singing for the world to hear was now still and silent with cobwebs growing from it’s ends. The sound of laughter, banter, and bickering didn’t ring through the small snow covered building, only silence. The cottage wasn’t warm or welcoming. It wasn’t lively and vibrant. It was empty. The white winter wind whipped outside causing the windows to shake. 

“It’s okay,” Dream turned around to see Ghostbur floating up from the ladder. It was Ghostbur not the ghost of Christmas present. He was coddling a piece of blue in his palm. “It’s Christmas,” the ghost whispered to himself. To Dream, mystery and loneliness surrounded the spirit. A small lump appeared in the masked man’s throat. 

“Where is everyone else?” Dream turned to Callahan. The spirit put up a hand and Dream found himself in a new location. Snow was still on the ground but it had stopped falling with the wind. He was in L’manburg? Like the cottage, the country did not look the same. It was also ransacked, empty, and unfamiliar. Well, empty except for three figures standing by the center of the once vibrant city.

Ranboo, Fundy, and Quackity stood next to each other. All with sunken eyes and a sullen veil of violence over their faces. The thousand yard stare. No words were leaving their lips. Dream looked past the cabinet to see what had stolen their eyes. They were staring at what was once their office. But, the building was destroyed. Caved in roof, missing windows, no light from within. Dream stared at the building with them but then did another check over the cabinet.

“Where’s Tubbo?” Dream asked the spirit. Calahann raised his hand once more and Dream found himself outside again. This time in a small familiar field of snow with graves peppered about it evenly, the SMP cemetery. Phil and Technoblade stood next to each other both with violence and isolation floating over their heads.The duo both had the same look as the cabinet but they weren’t looking at a building. Dream looked past them to see Tommy with his back shown. 

Curiosity led Dream over to the teenager. He looked just like the others, if not worse. Sunken eyes, weight on his shoulders, and as if a goodnight’s dream was nothing but a memory of the past. Dream didn’t know what feeling the sight of the teen evoked in him, pity or guilt. But, whatever it was, it stabbed him in the gut when he saw what Tommy was looking down on. 

A small grave powdered in snow. The stone was clean cut and polished, not touched by much. One word, a name, was chiseled into the grave. “Tubbo”.

“Not Tubbo,” the words left Dream’s lips. His legs carried him to Callahan who was standing a few graves over. “Tubbo can’t be dead. He hasn’t done anything! What were Sam and Ponk talking about?! What could someone find funny about the kid’s death?!”

The spirit did not speak a word in response. He shook his head and took the masked man to a new location. The castle of the SMP. But, it was not Eret’s, the windows were not tinted with rainbows, they shone red and white light. Flamingos were nowhere to be seen leaving sight of long empty hallways. The throne itself was the same but not the person sitting in it.

“George, look what I got off from his house before other looters came!” Sapnap ran into the room with a sack in his fist. The brit looked over at the ebony haired soldier, a crown of gold glistening on top of his head. They may have been surrounded by riches but both of them looked terrible. The two men had sunken eyes and a crazed look, of different types, on their faces. George gave a small nod to continue and Sapnap pulled objects from the sack. Ender pearls, bottles filled with potions, empty journals, and other various items.

“The rest I could probably get a good trade for but I think I’m going to keep this,” Sapnap pulled a sword sparkling with enchantment from the sack. He looked at the weapon like how a child looks at candy.

“They aren’t talking about Tubbo,” Dream breathed. “He doesn’t own a sword like that. Who else is dead?” The spirit did not give a response. 

“It did take many lives,” George said his voice coated with apathy. 

“I know right,” Sapnap gave a loose grin and shoved his hand back into the bag. “I got this right off of the body, I think you’ll like it.” The texan pulled the object out and showed it to the king. As the object reflected in his goggles a cold smile spread across the brit’s face and an unnerving glare flashed in his eyes.

A sharp pain stabbed through Dream as he saw George hold the same smiling mask that was on his face. He took a shaky step back, the mask on his face feeling less like a light covering and more like an anvil pulling him down. The cold castle air burned his lungs as he gulped quick uneven breaths. The ground around him began to sway and shake as he shot a shivering hand at the ghost.

“No!” The masked man breathed through his teeth. “This can’t happen. I won’t let it. I’ll change! I’ll do it! Please!” The spirit stepped toward the pleading Dream who jumped back in fear. “Calahan tell me what to do! I’ll change! I don’t wish for this fate for me or for Tubbo. Please!”

Calahan reached a hand out to Dream and with a blink everything was gone.


	5. ACT V

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dream wakes up but is he too late?

Dream woke up to soft light peering in through the window beside him. He jumped up and looked through the frosted glass. Soft snow was falling down to the earth in calm flurries. The light of the sun shone down on the calm winter scene.

Dream slapped his face and felt his mask. He didn’t question why it was there, he grabbed his sword and ran out the door into the sea of snow. As he ran, the memories of the night swirled in his mind, pushing his legs to run harder and faster. A trail of fast light footsteps dashed through the forest and to a familiar landmark. 

“Awsamdude!” Dream shouted to the rocky side of the mountain. After a moment of silence, Dream was about to shout again when the rock began to shake and tremble. The side of the mountain lowered and submerged itself beneath the blanket of snow revealing the opening to a base within the mountain. Standing in the opening was a familiar green haired creeperman.

“Dream?” Sam spoke to the masked man.

“What day is it?” Dream panted, catching his breath from all of the sprinting he had just done. Sam tilted his head at the question.

“It’s Christmas,” He stated. 

“YEAH!” Dream shouted, shaking some of the snow from the mountain above. He threw a fist in the air and began to jump around in the snow. The masked man beamed with joy. “I haven’t missed it!”

“Okay?” Sam questioned the scene he was watching. Dream’s dance came to an abrupt end as he stopped smiling midair and landed back in the snow. He whipped his head around back to his neighbor and ran to him. Sam barely had time to react before Dream had grasped him by the shoulders.

“Sam can you do something for me?” Dream said to the creeperman.

“Uh, sure?” Sam responded, tilting his head. Dream whispered to him, his words filled with determination. Sam smiled at the request and gave a nod. Dream bellowed a laugh of joy to the response.

“Thanks!” Dream shouted, taking off yet again. “I’ll see you there!” 

The trail continued off through the forest, snaking through the trees. Laughter and woops echoing throughout the land. As the trail approached the small country of L’manburg the joy and happiness radiating from it died down.

Dream stepped up to the cabinet door and gave it three hard knocks. The door creaked open to reveal Tubbo in a christmas sweater and hat. The young president’s eyes widened as he saw the masked man looking down at him.

“Dream,” the boy muttered. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

“You weren’t expecting me?” Dream scoffed. “Then I guess you don’t have the materials prepared?”

“Materials?” Tubbo whimpered.

“Yes the netherite armor and weapons you said you’d have prepared?”

“I don’t remember you asking for this.”

“How could you forget?! This is important, Tubbo!”

“Hey!” Quackity slammed the door all the way open and glared at Dream. “You can’t keep coming in here and shouting at the president of L’manburg like that!”

“Quackity please,” Tubbo spoke to the vice.

“No, Tubbo,” Quackity snapped back. “I’m putting an end to this!”

“You think you can shout at me like that?” Dream scowled at ebony haired vice.

“Yes I do! You need to lay off this country!”

“Then I am going to give you the funding you’ve been asking for!”

“You can’t- wait what?”

“What?” Ranboo and Fundy stepped out from the room as well.

“That’s right,” Dream smiled. “I’ll give you guys the funding that you asked for.”

“Thank you,” Tubbo grinned. “That’s very generous.”

“I also have another thing for you. Cover your eyes and follow me.”

The trail marched out of L’manburg followed by the confused whispers of four curious cabinet members. The trail of five paths came to a halt in the middle of the SMP. 

“We’re here,” Dream said.

“Can we open our eyes now?” Tubbo asked, his palms over his eyes.

“Yes.”

The cabinet members opened their eyes to a beautifully decorated SMP filled with lights, candy canes, gingerbread, and more. Everyone on the server was there laughing and exchanging gifts. Everyone from the badlands, the SMP, and more. Joy danced around the scene. Ponk handing out essential oils. Sam doing tricks with his triton Niki handing out cookies. It all brought smiles to the cabinet’s faces. 

“Wow,” Ranboo smiled.

“I have one more surprise for you before you can interact with it all,” Dream said. “I need you to cover your eyes again. The cabinet did as told and shut their eyes so they could no longer see. Dream weaved them through the crowd until they were at the tall Christmas tree in the center of it all.

“Can we open our eyes now?” Tubbo asked.

“Tubbo?” Tubbo choked on his breath at the sound of the familiar voice. He ripped his hands from his face and met eyes with his best friend standing under the tree. The two boys wasted no time and begansprinted toward each other. They slammed together in a tight embrace.

“Tubbo!” Tommy squeezed the young president, tears pricking the corners of his eyes.

“Tommy!” Tubbo sobbed into the taller boy’s shoulder.

“I missed you!”

“I missed you too!”

After a solid moment, the two broke away from the hug and wiped their tears.

“Tommy!” Quackity shouted and the boys ran over to the cabinet. As Tommy reunited with his friends Dream grabbed Fundy by the shoulder.

“There’s someone who would like to see you,” he said to the fox and led him to a smiling Ghostbur.

“Fundy!” The spirit beamed and floated over.

“What do you want Wilbur?” Disappointment dropped Fundy’s shoulders.

“I have a gift for you!” Ghostbur pulled out a small journal and handed it to his son. “It’s a journal! I took the other one from when you were my little spy and put it in my library. So, I got you another one that you can write in!”

The fox stared at his leatherbound present and a small smile tweaked his lips. Dream stepped away from the father and son to have their moment. He still had unfinished business.

The masked man passed through the party. Past Fundy thanking Ghostbur. Past Tommy laughing with the friends he had missed so dearly. Past Sam doing tricks with his triton. Past Bad and Skeppy exchanging gifts full of smiles. Dream weaved through it all until he was on the outskirt of the party. As he broke from the crowd and left it behind him Dream approached the two familiar figures waiting for him. As they noticed his arrival their shoulders tension pulled their shoulders tight. 

“What do you want,” Sapnap snapped at Dream, next to George. “What did you call us here for?”

“Can we speak in a remote location?” Dream asked the two.

“No,” The texan scoffed. “We aren’t stupid. You’re going to pull somethin-”

“Okay,” George breathed. “Where do you want to go?” Sapnap whipped his head around and shot furrowed eyebrows at his brown haired friend.

“What?!” He exclaimed.

“It’s both of us and if something does happen the entire SMP isn’t that far away.” George shot Sapnap a pleading look and mouthed the word “please” without moving his lips. The betrayal on Sapnap’s face stubbornly faded.

“Fine,” he huffed.

Dream led the two away from the scene and to the previous house of Tommy Innit. The two remained rigid with their finger tips feathering their weapons as Dream turned to them. 

“I just wanted to talk to the two of you,” Dream said and untied the back of his mask. As the two ties fell from his head Sapnap’s eyebrows shot up and George’s lips parted. 

“I’m sorry,” The mask dangled from Dream’s fingertips at his side. “Lately, I’ve done a lot of cruel things to you guys, especially you Sapnap, and I wanted to tell you that I’m sorry. I haven’t been me and you know what?” Dream swung his sword from his side and it skidded through the snow, the netherite weapon coming to a slow stop in the white winter powder. “I don’t care about those stupid discs. You guys are the most important thing to me on the SMP.” 

As the two stared at him with raised eyebrows and parted lips Dream bit the inside of his lip. He placed his mask down and ran into the empty house. When he emerged the green eyed man had two items in his hands.

“I got you gifts for Christmas,” A sheepish smile pulled Dream’s lips. He outstretched a bucket full of water to Sapnap, who furrowed his eyebrows and gave the bucket a look of question. “I’m sorry for what I did to Mars and I know that this won’t replace him but I hope it can be a gift of apology and peace.”

In the iron bucket a small fish with glistening scales swam through the sloshing water. The confusion and anger melted from Sapnap’s face and he gave the bucket a small smile.

“Thanks,” he hummed. 

“And George,” The brit perked up. “I can’t give you back the throne. But, I can give you this.” Dream handed George a small piece of paper between his ink stained fingertips. The brit took the paper and traced it with his eyes. As he read what the words on the document his face fell.

“No way,” George said.

“That land is officially and legally owned by you,” Dream spoke. “If anyone messes or griefs it I will see that they are dealt with immediately.”

The two’s eyes fell down on their gifts. Sapnap ran his fingers around the rim of the bucket and cooed at his new pet. The words of the document reflected in George’s goggles as the man smiled down at the paper. 

“We’ve missed you,” George said to Dream, giving him a smile.

“Yeah,” Sapnap sighed. “Merry Christmas. I hate all of this sappy stuff anyway.”

“Merry Christmas guys,” Dream laughed.


End file.
